


Don't Need No-one to Get By

by morrisughn



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, i finished this at like 1am and this is my life now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 07:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17845019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morrisughn/pseuds/morrisughn
Summary: Day 1 of Reaper76 week! SEP, or 'we could be heroes'. Two soldiers meet, and Jack tries to make a friend. How successful is he in this? Jack isn't sure.





	Don't Need No-one to Get By

When he was a boy, Jack Morrison would've found the idea of becoming a  _ real _ hero laughable. It wasn't something he could've lived up to- all he had was a hell of a passion to save people and a hell of an urge to look for fights. It was why the Soldier Enhancement Programme came as such a shock to him once he found himself practically alone in the military- they told him of the risks, he'd signed off a good heap of disclosures and agreements alongside his soul in the process- a pile that he hadn't set eyes upon since he was trying to sort out transitioning years before, and a pile he was glad to see gone. When all was said and done, it was something to look forward to- the life of a hero with the number 76 plastered on just about everything he'd own.

  


And it became more of a goddamn regret the longer he spent cooped up with fellow soldiers and recruits. The friendships he’d managed to forge weren't the strongest, and Jack was sure he was partially to blame for it. When he enlisted, he was certain he caught some sort of bug, if that bug could also be known as ‘becoming a narcissist’. It was a hell of a confidence booster, and if it meant people believing he was a hell of a lot less scared than he actually was, then so be it. Feigning self importance was what he needed, especially after the odd run-in with  _ actual _ super soldiers who had been ‘lucky’ enough to push through the entirety of the programme.

  


He'd been able to catch glances of another one of the soldiers- Gabriel Reyes, assigned under the number 24. Something of a hardass and still going through the treatments that'd allow people like him to become an ideal weapon. Gabriel was fully aware that he could drop dead and have it written off as some sort of accident, and getting close to him without someone leaving moments later was enough of a challenge. Jack was able to tell he wasn't going to get anywhere quickly with him, and the few people that tagged along with him were quick to agree.

  


So being paired for a training mission had hit both of them like a rock to the head.

  


There was bewilderment at first, then annoyance, and begrudging acceptance once both soldiers realised there wasn't a way of convincing their commanding officer otherwise. The task itself was simple; two teams, one trying to transport a member who had suffered a mock injury to safety, while 24 and 76 were being assessed on trying to snipe the shit out of them. They couldn't afford real losses here, so sniping became a game of expensive laser tag. At least it wouldn't hurt- or it'd hurt a hell of a lot less than close quarters training with people getting a little too trigger-happy with paintballs.

  


Jack and Gabriel had wound up closer than either of them hoped to be at first. Held up on a roof, most hushed conversations were nothing short of one-sided. Jack grumbled about something or other- how it was hot out, why the hell Gabriel seemed to listen to nothing but Skillet, and why he wouldn't budge an inch with talking. He'd huff at short answers and dismissals, try and fidget about and make sure his gear was any more comfortable. With short glances at the time, Jack was almost at the end of his rope.

  


“What  _ is _ your deal, though?” Jack puzzled, giving his partner a brief look. “It's like someone pissed in your breakfast, or something.”

  


“I have an image to keep up,” Gabriel said. He then refused to elaborate.

  


“I didn't think you'd sign up to be miserable in front of other people.”

  


There was a grumble, and Reyes gave Jack a glare, as if telling him to focus wasn't enough for the blonde bastard. Jack gave a meek smile, fully aware that this line of conversation had crashed and burned. Returning to his scope, the silence sat with them before Gabriel was the first to start talking- it came as a hell of a surprise to Morrison, if nothing else.

  


“You wind up just a  _ little _ jaded once you've seen what this place does to people,” Reyes muttered.

  


“Yeah, but what if we get through it?”

  


“Since when was there a ‘we?”

  


“I don't know! Since we got put together. Might as well be a team while we can, but fuck that, I guess.”

  


“We aren't that close yet, boy scout. You know I've seen you watch me at lunch, and you should be able to tell I don't care. It's like-”

  


Before Reyes was able to continue his pseudo-rant, he went quiet the moment Jack landed a hit on one of their opponents for today. Jack seemed fairly proud of himself the moment the figure on the ground threw their arms up in frustration. He didn't need to hear them to get a good picture of how damn annoying it must've been for them.

  


“Thought you were gonna be more focused on the mission. What, you want me to stop looking?” Jack asked, a ‘good-guy’ smile on his face.

  


“Christ. Yes- I was trying to say it's damn weird. It's like you want something and I don't even know what.”

  


“It's because you look lonely as shit. You barely even eat.”

  


“That’s because I've been heaving my guts out for the past week, Morrison. You gonna say you'll keep me company because you're worried?”

  


“...Pretty much, yeah.”

  


Gabriel blinked. How come he was right? He didn't want to be right about this, out of everything. “You what?”

  


“You said it yourself! Maybe you'll be less of a prick.”

  


Reyes didn't have words for whatever the hell he was feeling, but he didn't like it. Jack was, unfortunately, as stubborn as a damn wall since day one- trying to change his mind was on par with trying to punch your way through steel with just how effective and aggravating it was.

  


Jack gave him a nod, patting Gabriel on the arm, swiftly taking his arm back the moment he realised that being hands on  _ wasn't  _ a smart move on a training mission.

  


“I can catch you later, how about that?”

  


“Like hell I'd care.”

  


“Later it is.”

  


//

  


Lunch, the next day, wasn't going to be the best one. Gabriel could feel it, and Jack was pretending to not have his doubts about inviting himself over to join the jaded soldier. The training went fine, they could've been a hell of a lot better if it weren't for Morrison’s several hundred one-sided talks, but having the off-brand version of a wanna-be Captain America weasel his way into Gabriel’s own time felt off.

  


Jack himself was alone for once, standing at one end of the canteen, tray in his hands and doing his best to scan over half-empty tables like a meerkat without any sense of people's privacy. It didn't take long before he spotted his partner from yesterday sat at the far end of one table, hardly looking well, leaning his head into one hand. Fuck it- Jack had a promise to keep.

  


After bustling through a couple of soldiers that were quick to curse at Morrison, Gabriel glanced over at the blonde who had managed to set his tray down right next to his. He pinched the bridge of his nose as Jack sat down, half tempted to get up and leave. It took a moment to reassess the situation- that technically speaking, Morrison wasn't entirely wrong. But like hell he’d admit it. Leaving him could wait for now.

  


“Told you I’d drop by,” Jack said with a wink, sitting himself down.

  


“Isn't that a delight.” Rolling his eyes at the wink, Reyes was still having trouble seeing what Jack’s game was. “Did your friends ditch you, or something?”

  


Jack shrugged. “I mean- I was the one to ditch them, honestly. Not like I have to spend every second with them, y'know?”

  


“Alright..? You could be having a hell of a time with them instead, boy scout.”

  


“I told you yesterday that I wanted to keep you company, Dracula!”

  


Dracula? Gabriel squinted. “Appreciate the sentiment, but don't call me Dracula.”

  


“Fine, Gabe.”

  


“Don't make it worse, Morrison. Cut the shit.”

  


Jack was fairly aware that this was like poking a bear until it completely tore you to shit, and somehow, the boy scout had convinced himself that this was going to be fine, actually. “I'll stop calling you Gabe when you quit with calling me boy scout. How the hell did you even come up with that?”

  


“Touché,” Gabriel grumbled, poking his sorry excuse for a lunch with his fork. He gave Jack a look as if Morrison had suddenly grown three extra noses. “Have you even looked in a mirror? Look at you, you're a goddamn poster boy.”

  


Instead of landing as an actual snarky remark, Gabriel's comment got a short of laughter from Jack.

  


“Honestly, yeah- you got a point there.”

  


“You're not supposed to agree!”

  


Jack shook his head, hardly interested in eating for now. This was too good.

  


“It’s true, though! You realise how shitty it is when all you've got going is being good at taking people on in a fight?”

  


“Not exactly, because right now it just sounds like only one of us actually finished their higher education.”

  


“Oh, that was a low damn blow.”

  


“So I’m right again, huh?” Gabe asked, giving a slight smile at this minor victory.

  


Jack folded his arms, trying to find it in himself to regret bothering the other soldier. “You might be! At least it gives me some sort of reason to be a hero here.”

  


After forcing himself to take a bite of his lunch, Gabriel almost spat it right back out before actually swallowing and not choking at the words he’d just heard.

  


“A hero?”

  


A pause. Jack furrowed his brow. It was conversation, at least.

  


“Yeah, a hero. What about it?” Jack asked. Gabriel must've thrived on pushing people away, but he was standing his ground.

  


“You really fucked up coming here, then. Big difference between being a weapon and a hero. This place makes weapons, you should know that. I thought like that when I got here, thinking this would help people back home.”

  


“I can make some sort of difference, though. We can still save people- I figured that was a big damn part in everyone signing up for this.”

  


“Again with the  _ we _ . One, knock that off. Two, you'll probably be dead before you get out.” Gabriel huffed. What was with his optimism? This prick was like sunshine.

  


“One, like hell I'm knocking it off, Gabe.”

  


Gabriel practically winced at the nickname. It was either that, or his stomach being appalled at the notion of eating something.

  


“Two,” Jack continued, “I've been given that crap before. I'm getting out of this in one piece out of spite, at this point. What’s it gonna take for me to change your mind?”

  


“A goddamn miracle.” Gabriel set his fork down. He wasn't going to change his view for the farm boy with a one-track mind.

  


“Then I guess both of us are gonna see about that.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was fun! I'm stupidly excited for this week, hopefully this was something people could enjoy!


End file.
